Airship



M. JELALIAN Nov. 17, 1936.

Amsnn Filed Nov. s, 1954v 6 Sheets-Shed'l 1 y YM.. A E I L h I d H. TE n www mf O www Mm @w .www

Nov. 17, 1936.- M JELALlAN 2,061,075

AIRSHIP Filed Nov. 3, 1934 6 Sheetsheet 2 IN VENT OR Nov. 17, 1936. M. JELALlAN 2,061,075

AIRSHIP Filed Nov. 3, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR MNov. 17, 1936. M JELALlAN 2,061,075

AIRSHIP Filed NV. 3, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 M. JELALIAN Nov. 17, 1936.

AI'RSHIP Filed NOV. 5, 1934 M. JELALIAN AIRSHIP Filed Nov. 3, 1934 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR Nov. 17, 1936.

Patent ov. i7, `i936 AIRS Martin rennen, New York, N. Y.

.-ppiication November 3, 1934, Serial No. 751,335

1 laim.

This invention relates to airships, and more particularly to a propeller-drivenmilitary airship adapted to travel over and alight on land or water, and is an improvement upon a prior in 5 vention disclosed in my Patent No. 1,997,906 issued April 16, 1935.

One object of this invention is to provide an airship equipped with sets of stationary laterally spaced monoplane wings, and two sets of upper o and lower opposed iiapping wings hinged to the body of the craft and actuated from the interior thereof for increasing the lifting capacity of the same.

A further object is to provide an airship of the 5 above nature having small cabins supported underneath each monoplane wing, and a large gondola or main omcers cabin underneath the main body of the airshipQeach of said cabins supporting power-driven propellers for driving the g@ craft forwardly through the air at an exceptionally fast rate of speed.

A further object is to provide an aircraft of the above nature which is equipped with various types of military ordnance and is designed for g5 minimizing the nre hazard at all parts thereof.

With these and other objects in view, there have `been illustrated on the accompanying drawings,l several iorms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

Fig. l represents a side elevation of a dirigible type of airship embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same, the parts being broken away to show the interior construction.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the airship taken substantially along the line fi-fi of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the upperA ,napping wings as viewed from the underside, Vparts being broken away to show the interior construction.`

Fig. 6 is a slightly enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view of the airship similar to Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the forward section of the main omcers cabin.

Fig. 8 is a top view of the wing shown in Fig. 5 withv portions broken away Vto show the interior construction.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of one of the motor units for operating one setV of flapping wings.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the same.

Fig. l1 is a plan view of a modified form of the motor unit.

Fig. 12 is a. fragmentary detail view of one of the lower flapping Wings.

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view through Fig. 12, showing a side view of thawing operating mechanism.

Fig. 14 is a side perspective View of one of the cushion landing units attached to the underside of the main oiiicers cabin.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter a indicates a gas bag enclosing frame which may be constructed with a structural frame work a14 adapted to support a fine wire netting k6 (Fig. 3) to which is secured a layer of fine tin covering the entire frame work a, thus assuring a fireproof construction. The gas bag enclosing frame a is provided with a plurality of transverse horizontal structural supports a1, as best shown in Fig. 3, passing across the center of the ship, and are'adapted to divide said ship linto two semicircular compartments a2 extending substantially the entire length thereof.

The compartments a2 are further sub-divided by means of transverse vertical partitions a13 arranged as shown in Fig. 3 to provide a pair of intermediate engine room compartments l, a forward engine room compartment t1, and a rear engine room compartment t6. The compartments l are divided in the middle by horizontal platforms a4, and the forward and rear compartments ilo and t6 are similarly divided by platforms o1 mounted on the structural supports al. The compartments a2, which include the space between the engine compartments Z, are divided by vertical partition walls a6 which, in connection with the supports a1, divide said compartment a2 into three sets of four equal sector compartments for containing gas bags a5, as best shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 6. The lower section of the forward engine compartment t1 is subdivided by superimposed horizontal platforms 02 and o3, as shown in Fig. 2.

Each gas bag a5 is shown as being oval-shaped in a longitudinal direction and circular shaped on a transverse section, and is confined within a substantially heavy wire frame lI covered with a ne wire netting l8 (Figs. 6 and 8). The transverse structural supports a1 between the compartments a2 support a fine wire netting a3, to which is attached a covering of tin 111. The vertical walls 0.13, previously vmentioned Vfor dividing a gas bag valve compartment, are constructed of a horizontal and vertical frame work construction m and m1 supporting a line wire netting is and a each located in separate compartments of i'ireproof material for the purpose o`f preventing the re from spreading from one compartment to another.

In each of the gas bag compartments a2 provision is made of opposite gun platforms f supv ported between the frame a and the wire frame l" of the gas bags a5. Communication from the gun platform f2 to the engine compartments l and the forward compartment tlo is provided by ladders 11.9. Guns l2, shown in Fig. 1, are adapted to be supported on the platforms f2, and project through rectangular openings Z4 in the wall of the main frame a. If desired, the gas bags a5, instead of being made round in transverse crosssection, may be made to the shape of the compartments; that is, substantially sector shape by merely omitting the platforms f2, and thus increasing the gas capacity.

In order to supply the crew with water, tanks e4 are located in compartments I, and are provided with pipe connections n leading to the vicinity of a gun platform f2, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. A water tank p11 is located in the front compartment t1 and has a pipe connection v12 leading to the lower platform o3 (Figs. 2 and 3). A water tank p11 is also located in the rear compartment t@ for the same purpose, and all the wate;` tanks are adapted for use as fire extinguishers in case of emergency.

To increase the gliding eciency of the airship, provision is made of two pairs of oppositely disposed stationary wings 1' attached to the centers of the gas-bag frame a. The stationary wings r are supported by means of shroud-like wire cables v9 adapted to pass over the top of the frame a and are connected at their opposite end to hooks 16 located near the outer opposite ends of the wings 1'. Underneath the center forward section of each wing 1- is secured a cabin car or gondola 15 having a motor e9 at the forward ends for operating the prpellers 19. Located on each opposite side of the gondola 15, are a pair of auxiliary motors 18 for operating propellers r11.

The additional weight of the motors 1s and the gondolas 15 underneath the opposite wings r may be supported by means of triple stirrup cables v passing over the top of the main frame a and around the gondola 15, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The separated sections of the stirrup cables p11, which are divided to pass around the gondolas 15, are tied together and reenforced by means of connecting cross-wires es. Additional supports for the wings r are aiorded by structural rods q" connected between the side of the frame a and the underside of the gondolias 15.

Communication between the gondolas 15 and the main frame a may be had by gangways i3 located on the top of the wings 1'.

The detail construction of the stationary wings r, as shown in Fig. 6, consists of a structural light metal frame e'I passing into the interior of the main frame a of the ship and made secure therewithin. The outer exposed end of the frame e'I is covered with a fine wire netting e9 for supporting on the outside a. layer of ne tin 1'".

Located at the forward end of the main framev a is the main triple-blade propeller a.B mounted on the end of a shaft al extending into the main frame a. and having chain and gear connection a9 with a motor au. The motor al, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is located in the front compartment t1 and supported on the platform o2. The

rear of the frame a is fitted with the usual dirigible vertical rudders p8 and side horizontal rud ders tll'for guiding the ship when flying.

Main flapping wings To assist in quickly elevating the ship, provision is made of three pairs of flapping wings k3 centrally disposed on opposite'sides of the ship and pivotally connected thereto, as by hinges r3. As shown in Figs. 5 and 8, the wings k3 are formed to simulate the wings of a bird by means of a frame work comprising a plurality of longitudinal ribs v,A transverse tie rods v4, and vertical tie rods v5.' A wirenetting lc is stretched between the ribs v and tie rods v4, to which is attached a fine tin covering v3.

The weight of the flapping wing k3 is supported partly by shroud cables v passing over the main frame a and having their opposite ends connected to cross-trees p10, which in turn are connected at one end to a pair of tension springs v", the opposite ends of said spring being connected to hooks m10 secured in the ribs v and projecting through the back of the wings k3. The flapping wings k3 are actuated against the opposing influence of a pair of longitudinal tension springs 1n2 and a series of compression springs alo located between the fiat back sections of the wing k3 and the adjacent surface of the frame a (see Fig. 8). The tension springs'm2 are rigidly secured at their upper ends to the frame a. by hooks m3 and their opposite ends to hooks f1 amxed to the back of the wings k3.

The underside of the wings k3 are further supported and stabilized by a yoke support k attached to the side wall of the frame a, as best shown in Fig. 5. The yoke support 1c is provided with a horizontal support having a' pair of upwardly projecting arcuate plungers p9 adapted to reciprocate in a pair of corresponding arcuate tubular members k2 made rigid to the underside of the wings k3. A pair of coil compression springs k1 are tted about the plungers p9, and are adapted to abut between the adjacent annular end of the tubular members k2 and a. pair of collars p" formed integral at the lower ends of the plungers p9.

In order to impart flapping motion to the wings k3, each pair of opposed wings are operated from a common motor v2 located in the engine room compartment through wing rope connections. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the wing rope connections f are secured to the underside of the opposite flapping wings 7c3 by hooks v8 and are adapted to pass around idler pulleys f3 journaled on the horizontal members of the yoke supports Ic and pass through suitable openings l6 provided in the side wall of the frame a.

In the interior of the compartment l the ropes ,f are guided over a series of pulleys o5 (Fig. 4) Journaled on shafts o4 which are connected to the vertical frame supports m1. The ropes f are thence passed around a pair of guide pulleys 1Lu shown in Figs. 9 and 10 as being journaled to the top of a pair of inverted Y-shaped guide frames nl by means of small stud shafts t9. The frames 11." are rigidly secured upon the floor platform a* of the engine room compartment l in upright spaced relation. The inner adjacent surfaces of the frames nl are formed with a pair of guide grooves for receiving a pair of vertically reciprocating slide members 14, the upper ends of which are made secure to the ends of the ropes f. The lower ends of the slide members r4 are pivotally secured to a pair of pitman links v1 having bearing connection with a pair of y wheels m5, as by lateral studs '06. The ily wheels a are mounted rigidly on the opposite end of a horizontal shaft e5 journaled in a pair of upright bearing brackets e3 and having a chain 7'5 and a sprocket 7' connection with the power motor vl. It will be seen from the above construction that the rotary motion of the motor vl is changed into reciprocating motion for flapping the wings lk3.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the motor vl for operating the formost pair of flapping' wings k3 is located in the forward compartment tlo upon the platform ol and is of identical construction to the above device.

As shown in Fig. 1, a pair of gun turrets Icll are located on the top of the fore and aft sections of the main gas bag frame a. The foremost turret kll is provided with guns p3 projecting forwardly therefrom, while the rear turret is provided with guns pl projecting from the rear therefrom. The turrets kll are adapted to be interconnected by a gangway 1c" located at the top of the frame a and a small gangway kil leads rearwardly from the rear turret kll, and may be connected with any suitable hatchway, not shown. leading into the interior of the ship.

Main cabin car Located centrally beneath the main frame a and extending longitudinally thereof 'is a main cabin car or ofcers quarters all built in the manner of a boat and adapted to land onand take off from bodies of water. As shown in Fig. 1, the cabin car all is provided with a power driven water propeller al5 and a rudder al's for driving and steering the ship in water.

The main car all is divided into three longitudinal sections by horizontal dividing frames tl, t2, and t3, as shown in Fig. 7, to which is connected vertical and horizontal structural members ql and ql. AV fine wire netting q3 is connected to the structural members ql and qll for supporting a layer or covering of fine tin qll. The longitudinal dividing frames t2 and t3 are adapted to support superimposed flooring platforms nl and n2, as shown in Fig. 6, which serve to divide the cabin car all into an upper main ofllcers quarters, a middle engine room. compartment, and a lower storage compartment. Shroud cables b4 (Figs. 1 and 6) are employed to support the weight of the main car all and are adapted to pass about the main frame a and through the car all underneath the frame tl and associated flooring nl.

- Extending laterally from the side walls of the car all are a series of motor platforms p for supporting motors bll for driving propellers p5. The outer edges of the platforms p are supported by shroud cables pl connected to the side walls of the main frame a.

Located on opposite sides of the ship at the junction of the main frame a and main cabin car all are three sets of opposite minor napping wings rl, and pivoted to the ship by means of hinges 110. As shown in Fig. 12, the wings r2 are constructed similar to the main flapping wings k3; i. e. with longitudinal parallel ribs v, transverse tie rods v4, wire nettng kl and the usual covering of fine tin. The wings are supported and actuated against the inuence of a pair of tension springs :il connected between the top of said wings r2 and adjacent surface of the main frame a, as by hooks il. As shown in Fig. 12, a pair of additional coil springs fll surrounding a portion of the hinge T are adapted to assist the springs :il in supporting the weight of the wings rl.

In order to actuate the minor flapping wings rl, each pair of opposite wings are driven from a single motor m5 located in the engine compartment of the main cabin car all on the platform nl (see Figs. 6, 7, and 12). The motor m5 is adapted to drive a horizontal shaft 9 through the chain :il and sprocket 7'" connections, said shaft 7' being supported from the underside of the upper platform n2 by a pair of spaced hanger brackets 94. The shaft i projects through opposite sides of the car all and is provided with a pair of opposed crank wheels n having crank pins nl for journally receiving a pair of T- shaped bearing connections rll. Each bearing connection rll is rigidly connected to one end of a pull-rope connection rll which is adapted to pass about a pulley ell and have its opposite end attached to a slide b5. 'I'he slide b5 is vertically reciprocated in a guide member bl and has itsupper end attached to a rope rl directed about a guide pulley ell, and rigidly secured to the underside of the flapping wings r2 by means of a hook vll.

In order to receive and discharge passengers from the main car all, provision is made of retractable ladders i3, one of which is clearly shown in Fig. '7. The upper end of the ladder i3 has a hinge connection il with the outer end of a gang platform i2 projecting outwardly from the lower edge of the doorways z' provided in the side walls of the car all. The ladder il is adapted to be retracted into inoperable position by means of a flexible wire rope q connected to the lower rung of said ladder il and passed upwardly and around a guide pulley 11 into thevmain cabin all and connected to a winding drum i5. The winding drum i6 is rigid on a horizontal drum shaft ill supported in a pair of spaced bearing brackets is. The drum shaft ill carries a large gear i5 which is intermeshed with a pinion gear il keyed on a crank operated shaft il journaled in the bearing brackets i8. When the shaft ilo is operated, the ladder i3 will be drawn up to the sides of the main car all opposite the entrance way i in a vertical inaccessible position.

Communication is had between the main oilicers car all and the gun turrets kll located at the top of the ship by means of vertical ladders mll located adjacent the vertical longitudinal walls a6 in the main gas bag frame a (see Figs. 2, 4, and 7).

Fighting equipment is provided for the main oicers car all by means of a pair of guns nl projecting from the forward intermediate section of said car all and another pair of guns p4 projecting from the upper rear section of said car, as shown in Fig. 1.

Bomb dropping devices are arranged at the fore and aft parts of the ship in the compartments tlll and t. The forward device, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, comprises a pair of raceways ll charged with bombs bI and supported by brackets 112. The raceways ll lead to a pair of vertical bomb discharge tubes b depending from the underside of the main frame a in front of the officers car all. The lower ends of the discharge tubes b are provided with suitable slide valves b2 adapted to be selectively operated by pull-rope connections b9 passing over a pair of guide pulleys ba and lead into the main oflicers car all through openings bl. The rear bomb dropping device is of identical construction with the front device.-

` bers f5 are each provided with three depending plunger shafts f7 telescopically fitting into a like number of upright tubular casings fi*` attached rigidly upon a pair of horizontal tread plates i9. The telescoping action of the plunger' shafts f7 in the casings f3 are effected against the influence of large coiled compression `springs f surrounding said shafts f" andVV abutted li'etween the adjacent ends of the casings f3 and collars ,f4 on said shafts and positioned against the flat members f5. Ad-

ditional coil springs flo are located within the casings f8 and are adapted to be compressed by the descending plungers f7'. The opposite ends of the tread plates I9 are flexibly connected tc the main car a11 by a pair of opposed wire cables f1.

In case it is desired to make the flapping movement of the main flapping wings k operate slowly instead of speedily, a modied form of power drive is shown in Fig. 11, wherein the shaft e5 has keyed thereto and is adapted to be driven by a pair of gears 11,12 intermeshing with a pair of smaller pinion gears e1:i keyed on a horizontal shaft e1. The shaft e1 in turn is operated by the usual chain i5 and sprocket 9'6 connection with the motor 012.

The minor napping wings 12 may also be arranged to be driven by gear connections so as to reduce the speedy flapping movement of the 4o same, if desired, in the manner as described above.

While there have been disclosed in this specification several forms in which the invention may be embodied. it is to-be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only.'and that the invention is not to be limited to the specic disclosures but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modiiications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

In a dirigible airship. a frame divided into a plurality of compartments, gas bags detachably.

secured in some of said compartments, and each provided with an outer guard wire frame, a plurality of pairs of centrally located vertically reciprocating wings arranged on the sides of said frame, the inner ends of said wings being at and formed in the shape of a rectangle having their lower edges pivotally connected to said frame, the upper portion of said wings being provided with coiled pull spring connections with said frame, yoke shaped supports for each of said reciprocating wings secured to said frame adjacent said wings, each of said yoke shaped supports being provided with a pair of integral co1- lars and also integral shafts extending upwardly therefrom and slidably mounted within-tubular cylinders connected to the bottom of each of said reciprocating wings, coiled spring surrounding said shafts and connected to said collars and said wings, wing-actuating cables connected to said wings and vpassing over pulleys located between each pair of Wings, and a motor mounted upon a fixed platform within a forward vacant compartment of said frame for simultaneously actuating the forwardly located opposite pair of said wings.

MARTIN' JELALIAN. 

